Acetylene-gas generator



PAT/ENTRE PEB. 23, 1904.'

vNo. 752,985. Y H. W'. KOBHLER.

l AGETYLENB GAS GENERATOR.

AYPLIOATION FILED APB.. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

s mams-PETERS cn, pHoro-umn., wurm-umn o 1 No. etages.

atented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

HTLLARD w. KoEHLER, oF'DUQUoiN, iLLINoIs.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFIGATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,985, dated February 23, 1904.

I Application tiled April 24, 1903. Serial No. 154,154. (No model.)

Illinois, have invented new and useful Im' provements in acetylene-Gras Generators, of which the following 1s a speciiicatlon.

This invention relates to improvements in the class of acetylene-gas generators in which 4 contact with the water, and gas is generated,

the generating chamber or receptacle containing the carbid is carried by a movable bell,

the movements of which are regulated by the generation of gas..

In operation the bell being partially submerged in water in a suitable receptacle and the air being allowed to escape from beneath the bell it descends and the carbid comes into causing the bell to rise. Heretot'ore in all generators operating in the general manner above set forth the carbid is lifted clear of the water as the bell rises, and by decomposition of the carbid in the presence of an insuiicient quantity of water not only is the whole apparatus heated, but the production of free carbon is caused. which escapes to' the servicepipe and clogs up the burners.

It is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus in which the carbid shall always remain submerged in the water, and thus be kept cool, while the water is admitted to the carbid only at the time that the bell reaches a given point in its descent.

The above constitutes the broad idea of the invention. Subsidiary objects relate to the general construction of the generating-cham' ber and carbidreceptacles and to the manner of securing the generating-chamber to the bell of the machine.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 'l is a transverse sectional view through the complete apparatus, showing the bell in the uppermost position. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the bell in the lowermost position, or in that position in which water will enter the generating-chamber and pass to the carbid; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the carbid-receptacles.

as shown, is frusto-conical in shape and has secured centrally of its bottom in any suitable gas-tight manner a pipe 5, which is provided at a suitable distance from the bottom with a series of perforations 6. The generator is also provided at a corresponding height with a series of perforations 6. The pipe 5 is somewhat longer than the generator isV high and is adapted to extend through a central aperture in the top of the bell 3, said projecting portion lbeing screw-threaded for the purpose of receiving a nut 7. The pipe is provided with a fixed collar or other projection 8, which supports a rubber or other gasket 9, and a similar gasket 10 is placed around the pipe on the top of the bell, so that when the nut 7 is screwed down on the pipe 5 the gaskets 9 10 will be caused to embrace the top of' the bell firmly and make an air-tight connection. The adjustment of the parts is such that when the nut 7 is screwed home the top of the generator will be pressed firmly against the top of the bell 3, so as to hold the same tirmly in place.

The generator 4 is provided near its upper end with a series of apertures l1 to provide for the escape'of the generated gas into the bell 3. Located within the generator 4 are two carbid-receptacles 12, which are identical in construction and one of which is shown in Fig. 3. Said receptacles are preferably of metal, are substantially semicircular in crossseetion, and consist of an outer'rounded imperforate side 13 and an inner iiat side 14, which is composed of a suitable foraminous material, such as heavy wire-gauze or a sheet of metal provided with numerous. perforations, which side 14 is further provided with a central longitudinal semicircular recess l5,

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which is adapted to embrace the pipe 5. Each receptacle is further provided with a ring, handle, or other equivalent means 16, by means of which it may be lifted out of the generating-chamber 4 when it is desired to renew the charge of carbid.

17 indicates the service-pipe, and 18 a cock therein to control the How of gas from the machine, and 19 a suitable valve-controlled air-outlet located in the pipe 17.

In the operation of the apparatus the bell 3 is removed and the nutv 7 unscrewed to permit the generator 4 to be detached from the bell. The carbid-receptacles 12 are then removed from the generator 4 and the spent carbid emptied therefrom and a fresh supply of carbid inserted. The parts are then restored to their original position and the bell placed in the tank 1. The valve of the airoutlet 19 is opened to permit the bell 3 to descend and also to insure the removal from the machine of as much of the air therein as is possible. When the bell has descended to the position shown in Fig. 2, water will enter the generator through the opening 6 of the pipe 5 and the opening 6 in the generator and descend to the lower part of the genera/tingchamber and passing through the perforations in the sides 14 of the receptacles 12 will come in contact with the carbid of said receptacles and cause the generation of gas. As the gas is generated the bell 3 will rise and raise the perforations 6 and 6 above the water-level, and thus automatically prevent the entrance of any further water to the carbid. As gas is used, passing out of the pipe 17, the bell will descend until the openings 6 6 are again brought beneath the water, when the above operation will be repeated.

The carbid is indicated by the numeral 2O and, as shown, is located in the bottom of the receptacles 12. The generator 4 is of the same height as the bell 3, and hence its lower portion is always submerged in the water of the tank 1. Thus the generator containing the carbid will always be submerged in the water and subjected to the cooling action thereof, and overheating of the apparatus or of the carbid will thereby be prevented.

It will further be seen that the water leaving the pipe 5 from the perforations 6 in practice passes nearly to the bottom of the generator 4 before it comes in contact with the carbid, and water entering the opening 6 in the generator can only reach the carbid after passing around the imperforate sides 13 of the receptacles 12 and must thus first trickle to the bottom of the generator. The supply of It will be seen that no residuum will enter the tank 1, and hence the water in said tank does not have to be removed-that is to say, all of the residuum is removed from the apparatus by taking out the .receptacles 12 in the manner above described.

I have described and illustrated the apparatus as comprising a single generator-chamber; but it will be apparent that several of these chambers could be secured to the bell without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new ifs- 1. In an acetylene-gas generator in combination with a tank adapted to contain water, a bell inserted in said tank, a generating-chamber secured to the top of said bell and having substantially the same height, whereby it is adapted to be normally submerged in the water of said tank, and means for securing the generating-chamber to said bell comprising a pipe secured to and extending through the bottom of said generating chamber and extending through the top of the bell and there secured by means of a nut, said pipe having an open lower end and being provided near its upper end with a series of openings.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, in combination with a tank adapted to contain water, a

bell inserted in said tank, a generating-chamber secured to the top of said bell and being of substantially the same height, whereby it is adapted to be normally submerged in the water of said tank, a series of segmental carbid-receptacles removably vmounted side by side in parallel relation in said generatingchamber, and means located near the upper end of said generating-chamber for admitting water to said carbid-receptacles.

3. lIn an acetylene-gas generator in combination with a tank adapted to contain water, a bell inserted in said tank, a generating-chamber, means for securing said generating-chamber to the bell comprising a pipe secured to the bottom of the generating-chamber, eX- tending upward through the same and having a screw-threaded end Aextending through the top of the bell and a nut secured to said screw-threaded end, a series of removable perforated carbid-receptacles surrounding said pipe, and means located near the upper end of said pipe for admitting water into the generating-chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing-witnesses.

HILLARD W. KOEHLER.

Witnesses:

W. S. JOHNSON, J.- H. GREGORY.

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